Divinely enabled to greatness

 

This intimacy can be the portion of all servants    v12-21   He goes on to show him that this essential unity between the Father and the Son can be the same essential unity between the Son and His disciples.  He makes an astonishing statement:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also: and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father.”

Staggering as it may seem, the reality was that these men did perform great works, after His departure.  Hebrews 2v4 records “God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His will.”  History has borne out Jesus’ prediction.  He went on to say “…and greater works shall ye do…”; no doubt this is a reference to the miraculous conversion of souls, which took place in the thousands under their stewardship.  Within just over 30 years these men led a global mission which established Christianity as the greatest power on earth.  They did it under the assistance of the Divine Spirit who was unlimited in time and space and power.

Jesus proceeds to reveal exactly how this could be accomplished, and, it is the same for us today.

Prayer in His name-v13-14; Obedience to His word-v15; Fellowship with the Spirit ,and the Son, and the Father-v16-21.

Prayer in His name  v13-14      They will not be cut off, the lines of communication will be open.  “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If ye shall ask anything in my name. I will do it.”  

This is not “carte blanche” to ask anything of a selfish nature, but an invitation to ask IN HIS NAME, that is commensurate with His character, and, crucially, that which glorifies the Father.  Such prayers will be answered in agreement between the Father and the Son, who, always act in unison.  This godly, believing prayer, will always bring a Divine response, backed up with Divine resources. 

Obedience to His word   v15    “If ye love me keep my commandments.”   This is a two way process; if He loves us to hear and answer our prayers, it is fitting that we demonstrate our love to Him by honouring His authority in our lives.  Central to His commandments is the thought of love…heart devotion, rather than ritualistic adherence.   When Jesus summed up the Divine law given to Israel to reflect the Divine character, He put it in terms of love to the Lord as priority, and love to our neighbour as a consequence of that.  Now He adds a new dimension, to love one another, as the disciples of Christ.  This was a new commandment and is the very essence of Christianity, as He expounded in chapter 13v34-35.  There is little point in prayer, in seeking petition of one whom we are not prepared to obey.  As the hymn puts it “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey”.  It is the combination of prayer-dependency with heart-obedience that brings the blessing down.

Fellowship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit  v16-21

We can share in the intimacy with Divine beings with Divine help.

“And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you forever.  Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him.  But ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. And I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.  Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me.  Because I live, ye shall live also.  At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keep them he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.”

Such soothing words of comfort to calm the troubled hearts of these disciples, even as He announces He is leaving them to go back to heaven. In a sense what he is saying is He will not, actually leave them-He says, I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you, I will not abandon you to your own resources.  This He will do by sending the Holy Spirit, His fellow, His equal, who will abide with them forever, that is He will walk with them on life’s journey.  Also He will be in them as a sanctifying power and comforting consolation.  He calls him another Comforter-another of the same kind, He is just the same in holiness, and power, and grace, and compassion- with one difference, He will be with you forever, He will be your companion, and He is unlimited in time and space. The word for comforter is Paraclete- one who draws alongside to help, who works with us and empowers us for the everyday struggle.  It will, he says. In a spiritual sense, be just like I have never left you.   In that day of the Spirit, you will know, more clearly, my close relationship with the Father.  You will be empowered to keep my commandments, in a way you could not do before.  You will be the beneficiaries of a special Divine love of the Father, and of myself, and as a true lover I will manifest myself to you.